Manbao calculated the ti, and upon arrival, removed the cotton balls stuffed in the noses of the three, then threw them into the coal brazier to burn with a fire. After confirming that everything was clean, she said to them, "Rest early. Your health deteriorated before due to poor conditions in prison. You need to sleep early and rise early to increase your chances of survival."
The three, who felt nothing at all, could not understand Zhou Man’s words.
The next day, Director Xiao ca to take her shift, which essentially entailed observing the patients three tis a day and writing detailed dical records. Since no smallpox had erupted yet, they weren’t busy and had ti to handle so paperwork and books.
Manbao handed the patients over to him and went to the palace. Coincidentally, it was her turn to be on duty there today.
Imperial Doctor Liu, knowing what they were doing, ca over with a teacup and asked from three zhang away, "Have you washed and changed after coming out of that place?"
"Yes, I’ve washed and changed. You can co closer without worry."
Only then did Imperial Doctor Liu sit across from her, smiling, "How is it, have they erupted with smallpox yet?"
"Not so fast," she said, "Let’s wait. Although they look strong, they are actually weak inside. Even though they’ve been treated for seven days, they’re only at an average level now, so the smallpox might erupt quickly."
Imperial Doctor Liu nodded, "After all, they were imprisoned for half a year and sent from the countryside to the capital. Naturally, they wouldn’t be in good shape."
Imperial Doctor Liu said, "Inform if the smallpox erupts. I’d like to take a look too."
Manbao nodded.
However, the three patients hadn’t erupted with smallpox for two consecutive days until the evening when Imperial Doctor Lu was on duty. He discovered two small red pustules on the third patient’s chest and imdiately touched his forehead, his eyes lighting up.
He turned and went out, telling the servant outside, "Number Three has the smallpox. Inform Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Zhou; ask if they want to take a look."
The three prisoners were numbered one to three according to their ages. Number Three was the youngest at nineteen. Upon hearing he had smallpox, his hands and feet felt cold. He had been living well these days and wasn’t uncomfortable, except for having a cotton ball stuffed up his nose the day before yesterday, nothing else was done to him, and he had almost forgotten about it.
Even though he was young, he knew how serious smallpox was. For a mont, he tightened his lips and asked, "How much longer do I have to live?"
He now regretted a little, even though being executed wouldn’t allow him to reincarnate, but at least he could live for another half year. Now...
Imperial Doctor Lu glanced at him, "Your health is still okay. Take dicine and rest well, and you should recover."
If the patient has no hope of survival, there’s no need to treat him.
Number Three, upon hearing this, finally relaxed a bit.
By the ti Manbao and Director Xiao arrived, the sun was almost setting.
The two checked Number Three’s condition and nodded in satisfaction, "Just a mild fever, quite good. Now we’ll see how the smallpox develops."
The other two patients couldn’t help but ask, "Sir, do we have to live in one room with him?"
Manbao then stepped forward to examine them, "Of course. The smallpox vaccine was inserted into your noses. If even this doesn’t cause a smallpox outbreak, then I doubt sharing a room will lead to infection."
Upon hearing this, they were much more relieved.
Manbao smiled slightly, "If no smallpox erupts in seven days, it ans the vaccine is ineffective. We will prepare another kind of vaccine for you to try."
Upon hearing this, Director Xiao turned to ask, "Using pustule fluid?"
Zhou Man had written down three thods of variolation in her records. Although generally similar, they differed significantly, mainly in how the vaccine was produced.
They finally decided on the water vaccine thod, believing that the pustule scab thod had less toxicity and caused less harm to the patient.
Manbao nodded, "It’s a good opportunity to compare the differences between the two vaccines."
The two patients, hearing this, felt uneasy, sensing the other thod seed less effective than the current thod.
So, they turned their hopes to developing smallpox.
Perhaps heaven heard their prayers, and the next day, they both developed smallpox, with pustules appearing on their chests and two on their necks.
The three Imperial Doctors got busy, checking their pulses one by one and conducting examinations. Finally, they concluded that all had developed smallpox, but it was just the initial stage.
So, the three discussed the treatnt plan. Director Xiao said, "Since the pustules haven’t fully erupted and the fever isn’t intense, let them rest first. Give them plenty of warm water; if there is a high fever, treat it with lukewarm water wipes first, then consider dication and acupuncture."
He said to Zhou Man, "Start with standard thods. Not every doctor outside has your dical and acupuncture skills."
Manbao understood and nodded her agreent.
With the smallpox erupting, the three weren’t complacent. One had to be on duty every day, and every afternoon they held a consultation together.
To their amazent, Number Three’s pustules barely erupted. A few on his chest, so on his neck and face, he maintained a mild fever for three days, and just when they were about to administer dicine, he began recovering, and the smallpox pustules started to shrink with the fluid inside retreating slightly.
Not only Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Lu but Manbao also watched in astonishnt. Upon careful examination, it was clear he was genuinely on the path to recovery. Did he just... bear through it?
The three exchanged glances, all becoming more energetic, their gaze on Number Three as if seeing a glittering treasure.
This was the mildest case of smallpox they’d encountered, seemingly the easiest patient to cure didn’t go through a high fever phase.
The smallpox virus inside seed to need to ignite to fully erupt, which was also the most dangerous phase.
Most patients who succumbed to smallpox failed to get through this hurdle.
Often patients died before the full eruption of smallpox.
A minority succumbed to incapability of reducing fever effectively after pustules erged, leading to failure in healing and death.
However, Number Three never gave them the chance to administer dication before showing signs of recovery, a case they’d never seen before.
Manbao withdrew her hand and looked towards Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Lu.
After thinking for a mont, Director Xiao said, "Let’s prescribe dication to expedite his recovery."
So, the three went out to prepare dication.
Numbers Two and One’s situation wasn’t as good. Their pustules erupted quickly, increasing on the body, until Manbao could no longer count them, simply stopping the count.
Indeed, she even counted the pustules initially, mainly because Number Three didn’t have many. So, whenever he developed so, how many in total were recorded ticulously.
Imperial Doctor Lu pulled out the needles from Number Two, nodded to the servant standing by, allowing him to dress the patient before turning and heading out. He took off the apron he had worn over his clothes and tossed it in a bamboo basket, washed his hands, and without removing his mask, said to Zhou Man, "Number Two is feverish. I’ve just inserted needles for reducing fever, but he can’t take dication. Do you think we should prescribe a formula for pustule eruption?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers